We win some, we lose some. While winning is not always 100% in our control, a winning attitude is always a choice we can make. A winning attitude helps you approach life like an adventure, full of learning opportunities instead of viewing it in limited silos of failures and successes. You then remain unfazed irrespective of outward circumstances.
So how do we cultivate a winning attitude?
- Set goals with targeted timelines – Without a targeted timeline, goals lose their energy and drive. Without dreams, how can we have a winning attitude to fight life’s many battles? Without target schedules, goals are fantasies and unexciting.
- Start with the end in mind – When you keep your eye on the goal, all your actions are then directed towards the achievement of that goal. The inessential starts to fall away making way for fresh new thinking and energy.
- Treat every failure as a lesson – There are no failures only stepping-stones to your journey ahead. Life is much bigger and multi-faceted than we can imagine. There are many angles to particular situations rather than just failures or success. Once you view every failure as a lesson, the fear of failure disappears, helping you to adopt and try out new avenues and ideas.
- Remain positive – life is always in a flux and often brings about changes or situations contrary to expectations. However, if we look closer, every change has a certain purpose and is ultimately geared to teach us something or help us move faster towards our life purpose. A positive approach acts as a defogging device and helps you clearly view the path ahead.
- Find a mentor – Learning from someone who has already been on the path can not only help you learn the best practices but also provide guidance and support based on your particular needs. When required, a mentor can also refine your search and help you think through important decisions and stratagems.
- Follow an inclusive approach – A person with a winning attitude knows that the sum total of the whole is always larger than its individual parts. He understands and appreciates the role of every individual in creating a successful outcome and hence always aims at mobilizing the support and agreement of all those party to a particular situation or project.
- Be passionate – Passion is the spark that ignites all action. Without passion, the best of intentions will lack the necessary drive to go all the way. Passion, or the lack of it, is infectious and impacts everyone around you. Hence, let the love of your purpose or goal, infuse you with the passion to shrug off mediocrity or apathy and move resolutely ahead on your path.
- Let your work become your calling card – A winner never holds back on quality. Everything we do is a reflection of who we are. Holding back on the quality of performance, or making frequent errors, speaks to the kind of person behind the task. Let everything you do become a personal brand statement to build a reputation that you can be proud of and people can vouch for.